Stake a Claim: Up with Students! Down with Fees!

I'm mightily impressed. I want to offer a ginormous rallying hug. Perhaps we all need a hug before we fight for our rights and the rights of those yet to come. Go students. Go.

Yes, a violent minority always spoil the protest, but - me oh my - the sheer numbers that hit London on Wednesday says it all. 52,000 marched against plans to treble tuition fees and to cut university funding: a bloody good turnout in anyone's book.

Me, I was on a university campus all day, promoting mental wellbeing. I wish I’d been marching instead. Hey ho.

Is protesting enough? It would seem not. I've marched a lot in my time. In 2003, I marched against the Iraq War. It was reported to be the UK's biggest ever demonstration. All the same, it was ignored by our democratically elected liars. They all seem to be.

Well done to the students, for they have another plan. It's strategic. It involves "decapitation"! Most amusingly, the idea has been stolen from the back stabbing politicians that took a u-turn on opposing a rise in tuition fees. Yes, Nick Clegg once proposed a "right to recall" initiative, which has yet to become law. It proposes that a by-election can be called if an MP is judged guilty of serious wrongdoing and 10% of constituents want him or her removed. I guess the plan is to throw his words right back at him.

Our dear students are going to attempt to force a by-election in the constituencies of MPs that have shat on their pre-election pledge to oppose an increase in tuition fees. The students are going for the MP jugular: power. I see an MP or two quivering in their city shoes. Please don't take away my power! I only just got it.

If you think that education cuts and a rise in tuition fees is wrong, I encourage you to take action and be heard.

I went to university during a time of great political apathy. It was awful. No more APATHY!

In the words of Scroobius Pip:

In this democracy I, as a citizen, reserve the right to stand up for what I believe in
In this democracy I, as a citizen, am not accountable to the government
In this democracy, the government is accountable to us, the people
In this democracy, the government is elected by us, the people
To represent us, the people
In our best interests, on a national and international scale
And if they’re not doing so, in this democracy, I, as a citizen, reserve the right
To rise up

I will not move, I will not change
I will not bend or play their games
I will stand tall with a full frame
I will take pride, I will stake a claim

I swear, as a citizen of this country
To stand up for what I believe in
I swear, as a citizen of this country
To not just sit around, bitching and moaning
I swear, as a citizen of this country
To take action, if action be needed
I swear, as a citizen of this country
To realise that the power is with us
And no one else…

I will not move, I will not change…
I will stake a claim

Fabpants Recommends:

Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip - Stake A Claim



I was so tempted to see Liars after hearing they’d relocated to Audio on Friday. It was all looking so perfect, with a smaller venue, a central location and an early show. My ONLY excuse is that I was feeling a bit tired. I have been kicking myself for missing it ever since. What have I become?

Download MP3: Liars – Scarecrows On A Killer Slant (courtesy of thecargoculte.com)

Gig Review – MEN are Chasing the Carrot

Men, The Prince Albert in Brighton, 4th November 2010

Oh my Giddy Aunt Fanny! How ace was last night?

Last night, I went to see MEN. MEN are a band.

An autumn cold virus has taken over my lungs and brain. I can barely talk or think, but my heart is fizzling with delight. Oh, and I think I'm swooning for Michael O'Neill, one of the two guitarists in the band called MEN. No, I'm not star struck; he just had a lovely table side manner. More about the table later!

The night started with Amongst the Pigeons. Amongst the Pigeons has a fetish for the birds he surrounds himself with. He stands, amidst the clay replicas and human imitators, wearing feline furry ears and wooing his audience with samples, loops and squidgy treats. Amongst the Pigeons is a local cat. My third sighting was the best yet. He seemed a little tense and more focused. Relatively new to the live scene, this could be the way forward for our furry friend. As he registered a wolf whistle offering support from the back of the room, Amongst the Pigeons looked surprised and bemused. I hope he gets nervous and self conscious more often. It brings out the best in him.

Then came MEN! Of course, I expected great things. After The Freebutt gig in January, I had little doubt that a treat was in store, and perhaps a few tricks. This was no experimental foray into live music land. This was almost guaranteed to be awesome.

MEN are a self declared art band. I am of the belief that they generate a sense of community wherever they go, combining collaboration with DIY in the most enviable way.

More bands should have matching backdrops and overalls painted by pals or even by Celeste Dupuy-Spencer. JD Samson, front woman magnific, wore a bum on her front. Once Celeste painted MEN playing live, now her paintings are part of the performance itself. Seemingly, MEN is made up of a gang of the chosen picked up along the way.

Back in January, I said "Sometimes being in the right place at the right time makes you cool. Make the most of it, because it only lasts as long as that moment. On 16th January 2010, I was cool for as long as there were Men on stage... We bop, we grin and then all week we imagine that we're part of the scene that Men made." Last night, I was cool and then some! Just for a moment.

Sat near the stage, we watched our table of choice transform into the MEN merch stall. By our position, we became part of the scene that I imagined last January. I have to say, we had a ball. As MEN headed for the stage, Michael instructed us not to let anyone steal stuff. I declared I would use my kicking skills. I would have been happy to, but people wanted to give us money! My impressive high kick was left unseen.

My funny old fingers rummaged through boxes and bags, finding appropriately sized t-shirts, badges, 7 inch singles and demo CDs. Many of these went on to be signed. Smiling face after smiling face came to us. They came to find a memento and we aimed to please.

We, the impromptu merch volunteers, were ACE. MEN were an amazing success and everybody wanted a piece. In the middle of the superb song Credit Card Babie$, I had to interrupt my boogie on the bench to find a large "I am a Fe-MEN-ist" T-shirt. I am pleased to say, it was being worn by a very happy chap before Credit Card Babie$ found its end note.

It wasn't just him. I'd like to think we were all happy. My only complaint is that people didn't bounce enough. Where was The Freebutt style bouncing? Brighton needs more bounce. Not to worry, we - on the bench - were imitating JD Samson's dance moves and moving our butts to the beat. We had it covered.

Back in January, I felt MEN had enough material for an album. It must come soon. It has a title and I've even found a track by track review. 'Talk About Body' is coming soon. Get ready for it!

Fabpants Recommends:

The new MEN 7 inch single.

Download MP3: Men - Off Our Backs (courtesy of audiodrums.com)




And two songs MEN have on their MySpace playlist.

I can't believe I haven't posted this track before. It was a 2007 favourite. What am I like?

Download MP3: BARR - The Song Is the Single (courtesy of reifiedrecords.com)




I am ashamed to say, I hadn't heard this before and it is ace.

Download MP3: Ponytail – Beg Waves (courtesy of einsteinmusicjournal.co.nz)

Gig Review: Zombie Zombie and Halloween Gets Closer

Zombie Zombie, Brighton’s The Hope, 25th July 2010

I'm a Zombie Zombie fan. I saw them first at Bestival in 2008. Then I saw them at The Freebutt in January 2009. I'm a lucky lucky lady.

Zombie Zombie is a band comprised of two.

Zombie one is Etienne Jaumet. Etienne's an electronic analogue Theremin brain chomper. I've also seen him play solo.

Zombie two is Cosmic Neman. Before death, he made himself known in a band called Herman Dune. Yes, I've seen Herman Dune play live too. I was suitably mesmerised by the simply ace drumming of Master Neman. As well as his sticks, Cosmic now boasts an odd electronic voice. He mostly yelps.

At the start of this gig, he spoke. Real words. It seems that Zombie Zombie have invited John Carpenter to live inside the one-bit memory of their one and only keyboard. GEE! The sonic terrain of the next hour would be inspired by the sci-fi master himself, covers an' all.

"Wow", I thought.

Within moments, music stole my cerebral cortex. An undeniable cinematic soundscape penetrated inwards. I sat, captivated, in the front row, on a chair that I'd rebelliously placed there. For the most part, Zombie Zombie's trademark eerie Theremin oscillations and distorted yelps took a back seat. Instead, Etienne and Cosmic created visual imagery with sound. Unbeknownst to me, somewhere in my subconscious John Carpenter resides. He gets everywhere. My mind made unexpected links. I fell into a retro-futuristic trance.

Zombie Zombie have since released a 5 track called 'Plays John Carpenter'. The tracklisting may tempt you to taste. 'Tis here:

1. The Bank Robbery (Taken From 'Escape From New York')
2. Escape From LA Main Theme
3. Assault on Precinct 13 Main Theme (feat. Romain Turzi)
4. Halloween Main Theme
5. The Thing Main Theme

Assault on Precinct 13, as played at The Hope, has kindly been shared on YouTube and has been watched almost 2,000 times as I type. I think about 40 people were at The Hope, if that!

Fabpants Recommends:

A wee while ago, I posted up a Zombie Zombie track called "Driving This Road Until Death Sets You Free". The video for this track is simply amazing. It will make you want to get out your old VHS recording of The Thing.



Yes, it's a remake of John Carpenter's movie "The Thing", in stop motion, with G.I. Joes. Blinding!

Gig Review: Just Kissaway It All

The Kissaway Trail, The Hope in Brighton, 29th September 2010

The Freebutt has been told off for being too noisy. Ya boo sucks to sound leakage. While I signed The Freebutt petition and wish it well, The Kissaway Trail's gig relocation was bloody brilliant. The Hope is now a fabulous live venue. They've spent some cash on a real stage, have a proper lighting rig and even offer ear plugs for all at the bar. I have missed having a small homely gig venue in Brighton since The Freebutt’s terrible refurbishment. Yes, I bleated on about that back in 2008. The Hope now fills that gap. The 2010 setup completes it superbly.

Six musicians filled the stage, with room to dance, in the form of The Kissaway Trail. Perfect songs performed with heartfelt accuracy filled the room. Having spent two weeks in the chaos of moving and in fear of evil landlords, going out to a gig was a big effort for me. In exchange for effort, The Kissaway Trail played a wonderful soul cleansing set. I can quite honestly say they healed me. As I rode my bicycle in relentless rain, a happy contentment carried me home. My soul was blighted no more.

The Kissaway Trail played a number of tracks from the lovely album Sleep Mountain and it was with these they enchanted the room. Their cover of The Pixies 'Where is my Mind' was so sensitively delivered it added further beauty. The strain of vulnerability stole the room.

Don't let me mislead you, for far from being dour, The Kissaway Trail had a ball. They laughed, smiled and let themselves get carried away with their own fierce attention to detail and the great output it creates.

I particularly admire a man that makes it enviable to play two tambourines for an entire set. He played them amazingly well and was so full of life. The bassist was equally expressive. His face said it all. And what does a small homely gig offer? The chance to say "Thanks mate, great gig". To say thanks to the boys from Odense, Denmark, as they walked off the stage, down the stairs and then outside. We were all very thankful.

Fabpants Recommends:

Download MP3: The Kissaway Trail - Beat Your Heartbeat (courtesy of loftandlost)




Download MP3: The Kissaway Trail - SDP (courtesy of box.net)

Ten Thousand Things

Ten Thousand Things: the simultaneous connection and independence of everything.

When I said 'wig out' in the office the other day, the music lover I was gabbing to questioned me. "Wig out! Never heard of it, what does it mean?" I explained to the best of my ability. Then I enjoyed the paranoia of doubt.

Later, I checked online. I was wrong. There was an Emily-ism, so to speak. But damn, if I hadn't had to become an inept dictionary, I could have got away with it. At the exact point of the gig I was championing, the musician did wig out.

If you think that's the kind of coincidence that could blow an ant's arse off (yeah, right), since then I've read the term 'wig out' three times; twice in the NME magazine (one issue) and once on the Resonance FM website. Perhaps I'm the source of a word renaissance, or did I respond to a collective thought?

If there was a collective thought, I was a conduit, unaware of true meaning. I may have altered true meaning forever. Perhaps that's my role in my karass.

* A karass is "a team that do[es] God's Will without ever discovering what they are doing." [Kurt Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle, 1963]

Gig Review: The Formidable, The Joy Formidable

The Joy Formidable and Chapel Club, Brighton's Concorde2, 11th October 2010

Oh Rapture! Oh Joy! Formidable!

The Joy Formidable ARE one of THE best live bands on the circuit. Of this, I have no doubt. They tour and they tour and they tour. What are they like? In one word: Magic! They have earned the right to so much more than headline the NME Radar Tour. Kudos to NME though. One gets the feeling that The Joy Formidable have been on the cusp of breaking through for a long time, but they're just too fond of small venues.

Just listen to The Joy Formidable's live album: First You Have to Get Mad. Live albums usually suck. First You Have to Get Mad does not suck. That's pretty big news. Recorded in September 2009 at The Garage in London Town, it sparkles, it inspires and it's like every TJF gig I've ever seen. One year on and they haven't lost the fervour. They love playing as much as I like watching – it's clear to see - and that's mind blowing.

Selfishly, I love the fact that The Joy Formidable can't fill a venue like Concorde2, even with Chapel Club double headlining. Concorde2 is a lovely venue when half full. It's a horrible sweaty hell hole when tickets sell well. I love being able to get down the front and grin straight into the eyes of my captor. I hate not being able to see their feet. One has to admit that as well as making a glorious racket, The Joy Formidable offer oodles of eye candy.

Okay, Ritzy Bryan (lead vocals, guitar), was right. Rhydian Dafydd's (bassist) lapels were a little pimp-ish, but I liked them. And to you rowdy boys that shouted 'gay' over Ritzy's coy offering of the term 'pimp-ish', me oh my, did she sweetly turn that one around for you? She undid your bad ways and didn't even point the finger.

My show highlights included:

• Ritzy's free range wig out. What a minx, entangling herself around her band mate's microphone stand and not giving a damn. Enter stage hands. The girl ain't gonna sort it out, she's too busy having fun.

• Ritzy provoking Rhydian with her axe woman guitar jives and hip to hip jostling, with Rhydian finally relenting to some joyous sparring at the final hurdle.

• The pedal board blowing and instead of leaving it to the stage hands, Ritzy dives straight in there. Her actions declared "This is my board, I know how it ticks."

• The tremendous drumming of Matt Thomas. This man is drumming his way into the earth's core. I think he might coerce the earth's polarity to swap prematurely while it attempts to dance.

• The band's pleasure that so many of us had downloaded their Christmas track last year (we must all be on their mailing list).

• The encore. Always please the audience and not the venue. Damn the curfew.

The Joy Formidable are charming, accessible, enthusiastic and amazingly talented. They charm, they smile and they banter. They create a sound, that while dark and brooding, is so intensely bright it melts my mind. They caress, they tease and they triumph. I would usually criticise any guitarist that masturbates with the strings on stage. Yes, the instrumental rock out. Yet – in my humble experience of their performances – Ritzy entered that zone more than ever. I forgive her. Why? She looked so damn good and so damn happy, and for the most part it was pretty pleasing on the ear.

As for Chapel Club, they've improved. Chapel Club's Lewis Bowman is a contradiction; perhaps quite genuinely so. This was more apparent at Glastonbury than during their 30minute NME Radar Tour set. On Tuesday, Jack-the-lad was Jack-in-the-box and a little more out of sight. Instead, of being a geezer, Lewis made middle class references to poetry. An outward character more at home with deep rich vocals and Morrissey-like posturising.

Judged against their tent in a field set, Chapel Club seem less like a wannabe broody cash cow, invented purely to claim the next dark alt.rock dollar and a tasty slice of stardom. While they appeared a little more genuine, I'm yet to be convinced. Bowman has the voice, but he doesn't appear to have the depth of character to back it. He's articulate, cocky and perhaps far too self-assured. Knowing words I can't pronounce, and enjoying a little Byron, doesn't mean his soul is deep or his lyrics poetic. But being cocksure will probably get him a long way.

Yes a bona fide geek, I picked up a The Joy Formidable set list! Here it is:

Spectrum
The Magnifying Glass
I Don't Want To See You Like This
The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade
Austere
Ostrich
Greyhounds In The Slips
My Beerdrunk Soul Is Sadder Than A Hundred Dead Christmas Trees
The Last Drop
Whirring

And for the encore, I believed they played:
Cradle
Anemone

Fabpants Recommends:

And we all sang along to this amazing track...

Download MP3: The Joy Formidable - Cradle (courtesy of theworldforgot.com)

Women of the World Take Over

This week is 'Fabulous Ladies Week'. Tonight I will be at the NME Radar tour for my fourth live viewing of The Joy Formidable.

Yes, I can't get enough of Ritzy Bryan!

How do I become Ritzy Bryan?
a. Play guitar like you love it, mean it and are it.
b. Fill as many pedal boards as will fit on stage and use them to create sonic delight.
c. Sing like a fallen goddess.
d. Grow a smart blond bob.
e. Be drop dead gorgeous with ease and never show you know it.
f. Take note of your audience. When they all grin at you, grin back.


On Thursday I am seeing Josie Long for my second live viewing or perhaps my fifth. I'm not sure what counts!

Yes, I can't get enough of Josie Long!

How do I become Josie Long?
a. Marvel at the amazing, and the amazing is often in front of your nose.
b. Use your stomach as a canvas, lift your top and show your art to the world.
c. Be coy about being funny.
d. Be coy about being clever.
e. Will the world to be a better place without being earnest.
f. Be the same in real life as you are on stage.

I like a gal who:

• With the morning sun, strolls along a woody pathway, snapping bracken and declaring both her ignorance and an impassioned desire to learn poetry.
• At midday performs to hundreds in the guise of a Bluewater shopper that 'goes up space', fielding questions about her ridiculously far-fetched astronautic venture.
• As the day closes, thoroughly amuses herself - on a stage full of drunken comedians - providing random backing sounds for a Killer Crabs on the Rampage reading romp. 'Wow, are we really doing this? It's amazing!' That face said it all and, yes Josie, you did.
  
  
  

Fabpants Recommends:

Smiling in the face of adversity. I'm finally free of bullying landlords. It's so bloody brilliant I can't stop tingling with full body smiles.

Download MP3: Jim O'Rourke - Prelude To 110 Or 220/Women Of The World (courtesy of helloyou.be)




Download MP3: The Joy Formidable - Whirring (courtesy of kickkicksnare.com)

Festival Review: Latitude 2009 – One Year On

I'm going to Latitude Festival tomorrow. I'm starting to get excited.

Nigel Kennedy is playing and I've been asked to push him into the lake that he's playing on. I have an honourable record for 'pushing people in' from my childhood days, and feel pleased that my talent has not gone unrecognised. SPLASH!

As much as it would be a hilarious adventure, I'm not sure if Nigel would see the funny side. Text the word YES to 66609* for me to push him in. At a count of 500 texts I'll do it. I feel confident, that due to my incredibly slow blogging pace of late (I am a manatee), I won't get one vote. BTW, if a real person is reading this and has voted YES, you may have just donated £5 to a Comic Relief account that closed in March 2009. Well done.

So, who did I see at Latitude last year? Well, a lot of really annoying 40+ drunk people that shouted through performances and wobbled in a way that gets less attractive and more aggressive with age. I hope that the 1980s flashback line up (Pet Shop Boys and Grace Jones) was to blame and this year the main offenders will stay at bay. They can shout in their living rooms. But then Nigel may draw them back! Or perhaps they go for the Radio 4 themed culture, and forget their manners after 7 ciders. Me, I prefer teenagers, wide eyed, less jaded and full of awe. They shout joyful quips to the bands and crowd surf, instead of ranting tediously to each other. I'm like a grumpy old woman that hates the generation she's heading towards! Someone save me.

Perhaps Latitude is not for me anymore, but the Sunday of 2009 was amazing. The aging rabble left early to nurse their reptilian hangovers.

I hold hope for an excellent 2010.

Stand out acts from 2009, included Jeremy Hardy who was really pissed off about it being his birthday and was as endearing as he was off form. Then there was Jeffrey Lewis who had an adventure getting to the festival, ended up arriving very late, played on his own and was bloody brilliant (more solo gigs please!). Fight Like Apes scarily bashed a big piece of wood on the crowd barrier and frightened me into adoration. Joe Gideon and The Shark were as amazing as at Glastonbury. I wonder if I could watch them every week and never lose my absolute awe. Alela Diane and Casiokids sealed my perfect Sunday.

Bring on East Anglia! Complete me with your flatlands, ragged dreams and festival finery.

Here's 2009...

Rating system (from very best to very worst):
Fucking Awesome, Ear Candy, Thumbs Up, Not for Me Thanks, Hideously Awful


*** Thursday, 16th July 2009 ***

National Student Drama: Touched
Theatre Stage
Ear Candy

Nobokov: Is Everyone Ok?
Theatre Stage
Ear Candy

The Now Show
Radio 4 Tent
Thumbs Up


*** Friday, 17th July 2009 ***

Marcus Brigstocke and The Early Edition
Comedy Tent
Thumbs Up

Kurran and the Wolfnotes
Sunrise Arena
Thumbs Up

Dan Rhodes/Dan Bird – Anthropology
Literary Arena
Not for Me Thanks

The Mummers
Uncut Arena
Ear Candy

1990s
Sunrise Arena
Not for Me Thanks

The Brownies
The Lake Stage
Ear Candy

Indie Ghetto: Various
Film and Music Tent
Thumbs Up

Posters Came from the Wall
Film and Music Tent
Ear Candy

The Duckworth Method
Uncut Arena
Thumbs Up

Bishi
The Lake Stage
Ear Candy

Kap Bambino
Sunrise Arena
Ear Candy

Jeremy Hardy
Literary Arena
Thumbs Up

Brain Patterson
Poetry Tent
Thumbs Up

Bat for Lashes
Uncut Arena
Thumbs Up


*** Saturday, 18th July 2009 ***

Alan Pownell
Sunrise Arena
Ear Candy

Dear Reader
Sunrise Arena
Thumbs Up

The Chakras
Obelisk Arena
Thumbs Up

The Boy Who Trapped the Sun
Sunrise Arena
Ear Candy

Joe Gideon and The Shark
The Lake Stage
Fucking Awesome

Emmy the Great
Uncut Arena
Ear Candy

Pulled Apart by Horses
The Lake Stage
Thumbs Up

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
Film and Music
Not for Me Thanks

Le Donk
Film and Music
Fucking Awesome

Jessica Delfino
Cabaret Arena
Ear Candy

Spiritualized
Uncut Arena
Ear Candy

Jeffrey Lewis
Poetry Tent
Fucking Awesome


*** Sunday, 19th July 2009 ***

Marcus Brigstocke and The Early Edition
Comedy Tent
Thumbs Up

Thom Yorke
Obelisk Arena
Thumbs Up

Fight Like Apes
Sunrise Arena
Fucking Awesome

Alela Diane
Uncut Arena
Fucking Awesome

Casiokids
The Lake Stage
Fucking Awesome

Cape Farewell, with Marcus Marcus Brigstocke, Jarvis Cocker and Schlomo
Film and Music Tent
Fucking Awesome for inspiration if not for music

Slow Club
The Lake Stage
Fucking Awesome

Nick Cave
Obelisk Arena
Ear Candy

Childrens Book at Bedtime with Robin Ince
Literary Tent
Fucking Awesome

Faber: Pop Culture - Willy Vlautin & Kevin Cummins
Literary Tent
Ear Candy

Samphire Band playing Film Music
Film and Music
Ear Candy

Fabpants Recommends:

It has been brought to my attention that an Alela Diane track has never appeared on this blog. I will rectify this terrible error now.

Download MP3: Alela Diane - The Rifle (courtesy of pampelmoose.com)




Download MP3: Alela Diane - White As Diamonds (courtesy of naturalismo.us)




Download MP3: Alela Diane - The Pirate's Gospel (courtesy of agron.ntu.edu.tw)